Getting Ready to Dance

We believe an important facet of dance education is teaching the parents about dance as well, so they can make appropriate choices for their child’s training. Information regarding proper dress, the care and fit of dance shoes, the unique differences between types of dance, is how to get the most out of classes and class options.

BEFORE the first day of dance class… what you, as a parent, can do to help:

• Please inform us of any medical, emotional or behavioral conditions/difficulties we should be aware of in order to best serve your child.
• Make sure your child has the right equipment for class: hair ties, shoes, proper attire, etc.   If it is a tap class, the child will need tap shoes. Ditto for ballet.  Each class has it’s own specific requirement, please refer to the DIDC Dress Code.
  Dance shoes must fit well – ask your child’s teacher to check the fit of your child’s shoes, and consider what your child will be wearing inside their shoes.   “Ballet slippers” that are really bedroom slippers can slide right off a dancer’s foot and cause them to trip and fall. Too-big tap shoes can fly off of feet.  Even with a perfect fit, the way dance shoes are tied or fastened can make a difference – please ask your child’s teacher for recommendations or preferences.
• PUT YOUR DANCER’S NAME ON EVERYTHING!  …especially inside shoes and layered-attire which may be removed during dance class.  Shoes can easily get swapped or placed in the wrong bag when a whole class is wearing “size 11 pink, ballet slippers”!
• Put all of your child’s dance “equipment” into a special “dance bag” so you can grab-and-go on dance class days without forgetting anything!

DANCE CLASS DAY… what you, as a parent, can do to help:

• Don’t forget your dance bag!
• Please be on time for class. Young children are particularly sensitive to entering when class has already started. They will have missed something, and they know it.
• Take your child to the bathroom before class. Please note that this is different from asking whether your child has to go to the bathroom before class. Make a trip to the bathroom part of your pre-dance-class ritual.  (Once one dancer needs to be excused, suddenly every other dancer jumps on the “Potty Train”!)
• Let your instructor take care of the class in order to allow for uninterrupted creative time.  For all dancers there is a time to perform and a time to be absorbed, learning about the body through the pleasure and freedom of movement for movement’s sake.  Classes are closed to visitors, and parents are asked to wait outside the classroom so that dancers are free to take risks with movement, to focus in their feelings and to perform for themselves, not for others.   Concentration, focus, and understanding come easier to students when the class can proceed without interruption.  We make every class focused by closing out the outside world to make dance the center of attention.
• Try to maintain attendance.  This promotes growth in skills, social interaction and commitment.  A dancer’s attendance is vital – for themselves, their teacher, and their classmates.

What WE promise to do…

• To always put the dancer BEFORE the dance: Often a child needs to know what is expected of him or her or they may need time to adjust to a new space or teacher, so he or she will feel safe and comfortable. We never focus or push a child to dance because a great dance experience is born of an individual’s desire to participate. Select repetition of exercises, a familiar class format and careful explanations will eventually make joining the fun easy for every child. If your child needs time to just watch when new exercises are introduced, don’t be alarmed. He or she is still learning, just taking their time, and deciding how they feel about the experience. We do not pressure performance. When it’s the child’s idea to dance, it will come from the heart.
• To use age-appropriate music & movement: All Music in your classes is preselected to ensure that every song is age-appropriate and inspirational for the children enrolled. Music awareness is encouraged as your child is introduced to a variety of music from classical, upbeat instruments, reggae, to jazz, Broadway tunes and pop. Of course, children’s favorites like Disney songs and other popular children’s artist are used as well to make every class an adventure.
• To uphold the standards of the Youth Protection Advocates in Dance (Y.P.A.D.): As a Y.P.A.D. Certified Dance Studio, not only are DIDC classes, music, choreography, and costume dance attire in line with the guidelines set forth by Y.P.A.D., but faculty and staff are also trained in emotional health, physical safety, psychology of injury, and healthy relationships to food for dancers. They are committed to age-appropriate artistic choices and are positive role models in body image, behavior, and social media. Additionally, all DIDC faculty and staff members are background checked, CPR certified, and are trained and mandated reporters.